"Almost Famous - Since 1933"
4501 Steubenville Pike
Pittsburgh, PA 15205
412-921-6677
A special review of Primanti Bros. restaurant from our trip to Pittsburgh this past weekend.
A sports bar atmosphere, like a more casual Taco Mac. We sat at a table near the door, with views of the many flat screen TVs around the bar and on the walls of the restaurant. We were surrounded by Steelers hats, shirts, jackets, jerseys and the like. There was even a "mixed marriage" who came in later - the guy in Ravens gear and the woman wearing Steelers stuff. And for some reason, another guy came in wearing his Green Bay Packers jacket. Not sure what that was about.
In any case, very busy. A Saturday afternoon filled with replays of previous Steelers/Ravens games, plus college basketball. Our waitress (Donel) seemed busy, but still managed to take very good care of us. After asking if we'd ever been to the restaurant before, she followed with, "You're not Ravens fans, are you?" We assured her we were not and she lamented that with all the out-of-towners, she was not looking forward to having to serve opposing fans.
For an appetizer, I ordered the Big Jalapeno Cheese Stuffed Pretzel. It's exactly what it sounds like. You could see the green tint of the jalapenos through the "skin" of the pretzel. A little kick, but no burn. The cheese was not too heavy (unlike those scary stuffed crust pizzas I see advertised on TV). I would most definitely order this again. (As an aside, I've discovered an apparent weakness for soft pretzels and cheese. This is not good for my waistline or my arteries).
For the meal, we both ordered The Pitts-Burger Cheese Steak (#2 Best Seller). I'm not sure what their #1 Best Seller is. I've read their menu several times and they don't seem to list it. Described as "the original Almost Famous sirloin beef patty sandwich that feeds the spirited fans of Pittsburgh," it was served on fresh Italian bread with fresh-cut fries, cole slaw (not mayo-based, but vinegar-based), tomatoes and provolone cheese, onions by request.
Personally, I thought the fries were extraneous, but the cole slaw was great. It gave the sandwich a nice sweet and sour feel. I was hoping less for the hamburger patty and more of the traditional loose meat of a cheese steak, but apparently that's the draw of this particular sandwich - that it doesn't fall apart when you eat it. I'm not sure I can eat another one for about 3 years, but when in Rome, you must eat as the locals do.
1 comment:
The #1 Bestseller is Iron City Beer.
I never understood why the cheesesteak is the #2 bestseller, personally (as a native Pittsburgher) I always thought it was the worst thing on the menu.
Next time try the three cheese combo, or the pastrami.
Post a Comment